Fabulous February 2024

Hello and welcome to our first newsletter of 2024.  I hope those of you that managed a bit of a break this summer had a relaxing and recharging time.
The club executive committee also took a bit of a break over Christmas and New Years, but we were back into it, and had our annual planning meeting on the last Sunday of January.  Not only did we map out of plan for club activities for 2024, but we have also started working on a Social Media Strategy with the aims of:

1. Enhancing engagement- Foster active participation and interaction among members and the community.
2. Build Brand Awareness: Strengthen the recognition and visibility of BPW Hawera through consistent and appealing content.
3. Promote Events Effectively: Ensure that events, meetings, and initiatives gain maximum exposure and participation.

All of which builds to increasing membership.  And why do we want to increase membership?  To be able to provide more opportunities to extend your professional and social contacts, develop new skills, and as part of an international group, actively work for the improvement of women’s status worldwide.

If you are on Facebook and do not currently follow our page, I recommend you do so, you’ll find us easily at BPW Hāwera. We will be posting more information and content on our Facebook page to supplement our monthly newsletter, our monthly meetings, and our Web Site content.
Our plan is for our club to continue its inclusive and welcoming nature.  “Business and Professional” may be misleading title for some women given the diversity of our members backgrounds, and we are encouraging that diversity.  Our club is for ALL women who want to network, work for the betterment of themselves, other women, and the community – or even if you just want to get out of the house once a month for lovely meal out with a great bunch of people.   Everyone has something to share with, or learn from, the rest of our members.

We have seen an uptick of no-shows, or non-payments for our club dinner nights.  As our caterer, SomeDay is opening and cooking especially for us we have to pay for every meal that we have booked.  Things do come up so if you need to cancel a dinner, please do so at the earliest opportunity.   Very late cancellations / no shows to the dinner will continue to need to be paid for as the club is charged. 
When you do confirm your attendance to the dinner meeting, we also recommend you pay for your dinner online if possible.  Please reach out if you don’t have our bank account number.   

Monday 5th February was Red Bag Day.  Red Bag Day represents how big the gender pay gap is.  As women in New Zealand, on average, are paid less than males, women would need to work to Monday 5th February 2024 to earn the same amount as men earned in 2023.  The gender pay gap is even bigger for Māori and Pasifika women. 
At our upcoming February dinner meeting – please bring along a red bag if you have one to represent the ongoing fight for equal pay for equal value work for all women.

Reminder of the new Keys to Achievement programme is up and running on the new BPW NZ Website, and is available in the Members Only section.  Please contact me, or any of the club executive for the password to access.  It can be downloaded and filled out and we have also printed copies for distribution.  If you want a printed book like the old version, we can order one for you for $15.
Save the date:  Sunday 28th April is the BPW NZ AGM.  The AGM will be held online this year, and the face-to-face conferences will be held every second year going forward.

Tip for the month: Looking for a Business Management qualification to boost your career?  Are you aware that you may be eligible to apply for a fee free NZQA recognised Certificate in Business or Business Management?  There are various options available through learning providers in New Zealand, face to face or online.    A couple of on-line examples are the Open Polytechnic, or Aspire2.   Or locally in Taranaki there are fee free courses at WITT Te Pūkenga.  Check it out on their websites.
 
Toni Hunt - BPW Hāwera Club President

“We need to accept that we won’t always make the right decisions, that we’ll screw up royally sometimes – understanding that failure is not the opposite of success, it’s part of success.”
- ARIANNA HUFFINGTON

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